Question

Give reasons why concave mirrors are used in solar devices.

Answer 1

Hint A concave mirror is that type of mirror whose bent in surface is the reflecting surface. It is also known as a converging mirror as it converges the rays that are coming from infinity, at its focus. The basic working of solar devices depends on how they catch the solar radiations and collect heat.

Complete step by step answer
Let us first know about a concave mirror.
A concave mirror is that type of mirror whose bent surface is the reflecting surface. It is also known as a converging mirror as it converges the rays that are coming from infinity, at its focus.
Now, as the basic working of solar devices depends on how they catch the solar radiations and collect heat. So, a concave mirror is the best candidate for the solar devices. This is because a concave mirror can reflect the sunlight to a fixed point which is its focus. A converging mirror such as a convex mirror does not have this capacity and a plane mirror doesn't even have a focus point.
The concave mirror can absorb maximum sunlight which is incident on it to its focus which carries very powerful thermal energy. Later on, this heat energy is converted into electrical energy which can be used further.
Hence, concave mirrors are used in solar devices.

Note Apart from the solar devices such as solar cooker and solar light, the concave mirrors are also used for much more purposes. For example they are used as shaving mirrors as they can create magnified and erect images of an object. They are also used in the headlamps of bikes and cars as they can reflect the light much better than other mirrors.